Hartman Institute for Therapeutic Organ Regeneration

Anterior endoderm is sufficient to rescue foregut apoptosis and heart tube morphogenesis in an embryo lacking retinoic acid.

TitleAnterior endoderm is sufficient to rescue foregut apoptosis and heart tube morphogenesis in an embryo lacking retinoic acid.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2000
AuthorsGhatpande S, Ghatpande A, Zile M, Evans T
JournalDev Biol
Volume219
Issue1
Pagination59-70
Date Published2000 Mar 01
ISSN0012-1606
KeywordsAnimals, Apoptosis, Chick Embryo, Chimera, Digestive System, DNA-Binding Proteins, Endoderm, GATA4 Transcription Factor, GATA5 Transcription Factor, GATA6 Transcription Factor, Gene Expression, Heart, Heart Defects, Congenital, In Situ Hybridization, Phenotype, Quail, RNA, Messenger, Transcription Factors, Transplantation, Heterologous, Tretinoin, Vitamin A Deficiency
Abstract

The vitamin A deficient (VAD) quail embryo lacks active retinoids, fails to express normally GATA-4, and develops a nonlooping heart tube morphogenetic defect that is a model for congenital cardiomyopathy. VAD quail embryos, or chick embryos depleted specifically for GATA factors, show in addition abnormal foregut development, characterized by apoptosis of the endoderm cells associated with presumptive myocardium during the process of heart tube formation. Exogenous retinoic acid or transplantation of normal chick embryo anterior endoderm is sufficient to rescue apoptosis as well as GATA-4 expression and results in normal development and heart tube morphogenesis. Normal posterior endoderm also contains retinoids but is unable to rescue the VAD defect. Our results indicate that a retinoid-dependent transcriptional program, mediated at least in part by GATA factors, is critical in presumptive foregut endoderm for normal heart tube morphogenesis.

DOI10.1006/dbio.1999.9601
Alternate JournalDev Biol
PubMed ID10677255

Weill Cornell Medicine
Hartman Institute for Therapeutic Organ Regeneration
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